Sex and Gender
Reflective Tag:
Through class discussion I have figured out that I was not too far off from what I thought “sex” and “gender” meant. In conclusion ,”sex” is “the biological distinction as to whether an individual is male or female,” and “gender” is “the learning what it means to be a woman or a man in a specific culture/society.” In regards to “gender,” culture plays a role in how people behave and what they believe in that particular society. I have learned the differences in what “sex” and “gender” mean.
Article:
At first I defined “sex” as being the biological aspect of humans. And this simply meant that our genes are what determines someone’s “sex.” I then defined “gender” as being the label that people give themselves based on what they view themselves sexually. The reason I came up with these definitions is because I know for a fact that “sex” is something that is set in stone and it is set in stone by doctors. As for the other definition, “gender,” I based my thoughts on what I know and see in daily life. Nobody ever questions the “sex” of someone. They rather question the
“gender” of a person, and therefore I theorized that “gender” was open for interpretation.
After the class discussion, I found out that “sex” is defined as the “biological distinction as to whether an individual is a male or female.” This is determined by chromosomes and genes; gonads and gametes; hormones and hormone receptors; reproductive anatomy; and secondary sex characteristics. The biological components of the term “sex” is male and female. The way they can be differentiated is through all the determinations listed above. Chromosomes are either XY or XX which classifies the difference between males and females aka their “sex.” Genes are either SRY active or not SRY active. The different gonads consist of either testes or ovaries. Gametes can be sperm or eggs. The varying hormones are testosterone and estrogen. There is the external phenotype, penis and scrotum versus clitoris and labia, and internal phenotype, vas deferens and prostate versus oviducts and uterus and vagina. The secondary sex characteristics are body hair distribution, enlarged Adam’s apple, and a deeper voice for males and breasts for females. All of these descriptions help define what “sex” means.
I also found out through the class discussion that “gender” is defined as the “learning what it means to be a woman or a man in a specific culture/society.” This is all due to cultural norms, social roles, and expectations of behavior. The dimensions of “gender” are psychological, social, and behavioral. For psychological this is the internal sense of being a boy or a girl or even genderqueer. The social dimension is the beliefs about gender, the roles that one assumes, and community affiliation. Lastly, the behavioral dimension is gender expression, how one expresses one’s identity through appearance and action, and is perceived by others. These dimensions are what shape the definition of “gender.”
Culture has been defined as “consisting of the beliefs, behaviors, objects, and other characteristics common to the members of a particular group or society.” This also includes many societal aspects such as language, customs, values, norms, rules, etc. All of these play a factor into “gender,” or the set beliefs about what it means to be a man or woman in a particular society. But having said that, the set beliefs can be vary from society to society and can even vary in the same society over time (different time periods). Some specific examples of “gender” are that males are supposed to be the strong tough family provider and women are viewed as the dainty caregivers that take care of the house and the children. “Gender identity” is the label given to people based on how they view their gender.